Gizmodo: chevy volt

Chevy Volt: There's An App For That

Ray Wert — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST

From our first test unit test drive, we knew the Chevy Volt would be a seriously technologically advanced electric car when it debuts next year. Now GM's saying they've built Blackberry and iPhone apps to control some vehicle functions.

At Chevy's press conference at last week's LA Auto Show, outgoing Chevy manager Brent Dewar quickly flashed a slide across the screen revealing GM's intention to develop mobile phone applications for controlling and interacting with the Volt.

GM sources have told the charged-up folks at GM-Volt that there will be applications at least for the iPod and the Blackberry and we should expect them to be unveiled ahead of the Volt along with their potential functions.

For starters, the app will allow for control of when to charge the car. GM-Volt's Lyle Dennis also expects to see applications receiving signals from the car as well, indicating when charging is completed and if the driver forgot to plug it in at some time interval after arriving home. Read more of Lyle's account of what to expect over at GM-Volt.

What would you like to see in a Volt app?

[via GM-Volt]

Chevy Volt To Get 230 MPG City Fuel Economy Rating

Ray Wert — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 06:50:00 EDT

Sources tell us GM CEO Fritz Henderson will announce today the Chevy Volt extended-range electric vehicle will receive a city fuel economy rating of 230 MPG from the EPA when it hits showroom floors later next year. Holy game-changer, Batman!

This story's still developing, but if our sources are correct, it would blow the Toyota Prius out of the water. Heck, it'd blow every other vehicle currently on the market out of the water with the exception of the Tesla roadster — and that's no four-door mid-size sedan. So for GM this represents a huge marketing coup — the ability to claim the most fuel efficient vehicle in the world and a big blow to detractors who claim the big, sweaty 'merican manufacturer can't build quality products.

We'll have more out of GM's Warren Technical Center as the General holds their big product showcase event throughout the day.

Bose Energy Efficient Sound to Debut in Chevy Volt

Mark Wilson — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 08:30:00 EST

Electric cars sound great until you realize that turning on the stereo costs you mileage. So Bose is hopping on the bandwagon with low-power speaker systems early.

Their new Energy Efficient Series, debuting in the 2011 Chevy Volt, promises to be 30% smaller, 40% lighter, and use 50% less energy than "conventional Bose sound systems."

Is this some grand achievement on Bose's part? Well, we don't really know. It's ridiculously easy (and cheap) to make low wattage audio systems—it's just a bit more difficult to make them sound great. Still, we're interesting to see a new industry emerge—one that may have car audio enthusiasts installing more efficient amplifiers and lower wattage speakers...well, at least if they want to untether their car from an outlet. [Bose]

Bailout Package Includes $7,500 Tax Break For Future Chevy Volt Owners

John Mahoney — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 10:45:00 EDT

If the future dashboard and GPS-assisted engine weren't incentive enough to consider picking up a Chevrolet Volt in 2010, Congress has gifted future owners with an added bonus: a $7,500 tax break passed as part of last week's bailout package. The credit applies to any vehicle with a battery rated at 6kWh or higher, placing it far enough in the future for the auto industry to swallow, I guess; the Prius's 1.3kWh battery doesn't qualify. [Daily Tech via Crunchgear]

Chevy Volt Dashboard Looks Like The Future If The Future is White Plastic

Mark Wilson — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 09:00:00 EDT

We don't write about car dashboards all that often here on the Giz, but when the dash is from an electric car/hybrid and it shares its white sheen with both classic iPods and Stormtrooper helmets, how could we possibly resist? Nearly buttonless, the Chevy Volt's injection molded center console features a large LCD that, from what we can tell from the picture, will be locked with the static image of 2/3 battery remaining. It's certainly an interesting look, but I'm just not so sure it blends so well with the rest of the car. What do you think? [thecarlounge via Jalopnik]

Key to Cheaper Lithium Ion Batteries Could Be Inside the Microwave

John Mahoney — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:42:44 EDT

Researchers at UT Austin have devised a new way to create lithium iron phosphate—the compound inside high-density Li-ion batteries being developed for cars and power tools—that uses microwaves to cut costs. The new method requires lower temperatures (300° C rather than 700°) and less time to fabricate the phosphate via the nuking process—just like throwing that Tombstone in the m-wave rather than the oven. The tech probably won't trickle down into laptop batteries, which use a lithium cobalt oxide that isn't capable of the quick bursts of current needed to get something like the Chevy Volt rolling. All the better to crash your Tesla with. [Technology Review]

McCain Proposes $300 Million Prize to Develop Next-Gen Battery for Cars, Cybernetic Cryo-Suits

matt buchanan — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:30:00 EDT

It's well known that the biggest bump in the road to developing an awesome all-electric car is the battery. The only ones juicy enough are a) big b) expensive and c) not so durable. Not easy. But science is no match for the American spirit! If elected, John McCain is promising $300 million to whoever develops a next-gen battery that "has the size, capacity, cost and power to leapfrog the commercially available plug-in hybrids or electric cars." Totally coincidentally, that same battery will also power the next generation of life-extending cybernetic cryo-suits. [Detroit News via Jalopnik]

LEAKED, Electric Meets Diesel in Opel E-Flex

Mark Wilson — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 10:30:41 EDT

We shouldn't know about the cars of the future yet, and let me be the first to say, I'm sorry they don't fly. But the Opel E-Flex is a European concept of the Chevy Volt unleaded/electric hybrid. Other than its propensity to drink more wine and go "on holiday," the Opel will use a 1.3lt turbo diesel engine to recharge the car's lithium ion batteries when they run out.

Like the Volt's unleaded offerings, the Opel E-Flex diesel engine is not a motor at all, but a backup power generator for the electricity-driven car. Let's just swap out that diesel engine for a nuclear reactor, and we're in business. Hit up Jalopnik for more photos. [jalopnik and carscoop]